Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Washington, North Carolina 27889
Sunday, June 17, 2007 17:40 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to one of the student pilots, shortly after takeoff, at an altitude of 250 to 300 feet, the engine lost power. Insufficient altitude remained to turn and glide back to the airport, so the student pilot at the controls attempted to land in a field. The airplane cleared trees, and then stalled over the field. It initially struck ground on its right main landing gear, bounced, and nosed over. Shortly thereafter, the airplane became engulfed in flames. The engine reportedly had less than 250 hours of operation since its last overhaul, and the airplane had flown about 4 hours on the day before the accident with no problems noted. Both wing tanks were filled with fuel prior to the accident flight. From the limited engine examination possible, there were no mechanical anomalies noted. Ambient temperature and dew point conditions indicated a probability of serious carburetor icing at glide power. The student pilot at the controls did not respond to information requests, and there was no evidence that either of the student pilots had received any flight instruction, or was otherwise qualified to operate the accident airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. Contributing to the accident was the proximity of trees.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/17/2007
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1740
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Washington
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27889
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 352414N
Event Location Longitude 0770259W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1741 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID OCW
Elevation of weather observation facility 38
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 24247
NTSB Notification Source SROC
NTSB Notification Date Jun 17 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 26 2008 6:40PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Greensboro

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N267C
NTSB Number NYC07LA140
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Stinson
Aircraft Model 108-2
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 108-3267
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Hilton R. Modlin
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Washington
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 27889
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code OCW
Departure City Washington
Departure State NC
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1738
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - initial climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 5 2008 1:12PM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --